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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24758173">The Broadcast</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chyrstis/pseuds/Chyrstis'>Chyrstis</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>You'll be okay, I promise [12]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Far Cry 5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Developing Relationship, F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 06:13:31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,670</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24758173</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chyrstis/pseuds/Chyrstis</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sharky rolled his eyes, pretending to jerk off as John leveled another profound glance towards his audience, and she gave him a small punch to the arm before turning back to the broadcast.</p>
<p>
  <em>“No, this is for the Deputy’s ears, and for any that continue to follow her, I ask you to heed my words, and my message.”</em>
</p>
<p>---<br/>A moment of peace never lasts as long as it should.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Sharky Boshaw/Female Deputy | Judge</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>You'll be okay, I promise [12]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1428766</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Broadcast</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This took /way/ too long to piece together and finalize, especially since I was hoping to have this set up a few events for the next fic in line, but let's be real, I mostly wanted some more banter and fun before the plot decided to come calling, and Sharky's excellent for any and all of that. John's also too much fun to write when he's in speech mode, so I really couldn't resist playing around with that either. </p>
<p>(and side note, the excerpts of The Book of Joseph here come directly from it, no tweaks at all, which I do not even remotely claim ownership of)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The news was improving. Honest to God improving as it came in, and Hana almost didn’t know what to do with it.</p>
<p>With the chatter a mix of updates on the outposts taken, shots taken at John – which she took point on, just in case the asshole was tuning in somehow – and more voices joining in on the line by the day, things were looking up. It actually seemed like they were pushing the Peggies back in a way that counted, and she didn’t want to let up for a second.</p>
<p>John hadn’t retaliated yet. Not like before when he’d first sent people to run her down, and had taken more than a little pride in letting her know just what was going to happen next, but he’d taken measures in other areas to compensate for it.</p>
<p>The patrols hadn’t stopped. The road blocks were still operating further south and west of here, in spite of her and Sharky’s best efforts to firebomb every last one, and the line of Peggies that kept on stepping right into Grace’s line of sight only seemed to be getting longer, and longer.</p>
<p>It was starting to feel like they would never leave the valley. After weeks of watching silos disappear, and outposts fall, it felt strange to even consider being anywhere else, but they couldn’t stay here. Not with news coming in every day from the north, and the need to head back to the jail picking at her more and more by the day.</p>
<p>Sure, she wasn’t the only one fighting. God, she’d watched these people tear the cult a new one with a determination she envied, but she’d never wished harder that she could be in more than one place at once.</p>
<p>Just for the chance to see what Jess was facing up north, with Eli coming in over the radios. To hear Whitehorse’s calm rundown, <em>how to size up a situation so you know for sure it’s a bad one, Rook,</em> before she ran in a little too half-cocked anyway. Hell, to hear Hurk’s stories again, and to see the giant grin he’d put on Sharky’s face whenever the two were left to their own devices.</p>
<p>She wanted to do better. Be better for them, but some days it still felt like she was grasping at straws. Doing all right, but never enough, and she’d keep on trying every damn day as long as she was able to. Pushing, fighting, and hoping that what she was doing was helping, and not fucking things up further.</p>
<p>It was the very least she could do, and that kept her moving forward.</p>
<p>“Golden Valley? GVG? You there, over?”</p>
<p>Static came through, bits and pieces as Hana waited for the message to go through, and tapped her fingers along the steering wheel as they all waited. She heard Grace shift from the backseat, and noticed her leaning forward in the rearview mirror to better see the road ahead.</p>
<p>“Yo, GVG? Everything okay? Taking a while to get back to us there.” She frowned when a few scattered words filtered through, and thumped the radio with the side of her hand. “This is the Deputy. Just giving a quick heads up to say you’ll be getting a few visitors shortly, and I’d hate to stop by anywhere I’m not wanted.”</p>
<p>Located on the edge of Fall’s End, the gas station had become the place to spot any strange trucks trying to roll in, while also giving them one of a handful of safe places to fuel up. But that usefulness went both ways, and the Resistance and the cult had practically traded this spot back and forth until they had finally been able to give them the boot.</p>
<p>“-ep? Drop on by-“</p>
<p>But the broken message wasn’t reassuring her in the slightest right now. Not as long as they kept the beaten-up Peggie van as their ride of choice, and not until they’d pulled up and had a chance to speak to them all face-to-face.</p>
<p>Speeding down the road, the turn to the gas station nearly blindsided her. She’d known it was a sharp one, and Sharky and Grace had both tried reminding her in the hopes that she’d catch it, but it nearly flew right on by her without thinking. The tires screeched as she hit the brakes and turned, making Sharky’s arm fly up to grab the handle hanging above his head, and thought for a moment she’d flip the thing. The minute the van rocked back into place on its wheels, however, she flashed Grace a look of apology in the rearview mirror, and maneuvered them into a spot by the pumps.</p>
<p>Letting out one last screech of defiance, the van came to a stop, and her head nearly bounced off of the seat. “Sound off, everyone all right?”</p>
<p>Sharky let out a breath and flashed her a thumbs up. “Still got it, Dep.”</p>
<p>“Grace?”</p>
<p>“…Yeah, I hear you.”</p>
<p>In the distance, she saw hints of movement. Just enough to remind her that as deserted as the place seemed, thinking that was a mistake, and rolled down her window to let out a whistle.</p>
<p>Giving it a minute, she watched as Grace steadied her rifle from the back, and felt for the revolver she’d recently picked up. Snapping off shots with it still made her feel like she was fighting with the thing, but it worked in a pinch, and she’d make it work here if she had to.</p>
<p>Sharky started shifting in his seat. Kept his shotgun up even as Hana angled her head towards him with her finger pressed to her lips, but when he waggled his eyebrows at her, she couldn’t help the smile that slipped out.</p>
<p>“Quit it,” she murmured, turning her attention back to the store.</p>
<p>“Huh? Quit what?” He hadn’t even bothered whispering, and she could just imagine the kind of grin that came with that tone of voice.</p>
<p><em>Just being your lovely, ridiculous self.</em> “This’s still clear, right Grace?”</p>
<p>“Far as I know,” she replied from the back. “Mary May hasn’t mentioned any changes, but they’re taking their time getting back to us. Better be ready just in case that means what we’re thinking it does.”</p>
<p>Shifting her eyes between the roof of the gas station and the front, there was a flicker of light up top. One that could’ve been a signal, or with Hana’s luck, the last thing she’d see before a sniper’s lucky shot. But soon enough another whistle rang out, imitating hers. It might’ve even been done with relish as they stretched the sound out, ending with a flourish.</p>
<p>She reached for the radio and tried again. “Hey, GVG. You got some friendlies outside. We got some friendlies inside?”</p>
<p>This time the voice on the other end picked up instantly. <em>“Roger, and I’m on my way out to you!”</em></p>
<p>“…Grace?”</p>
<p>Looking towards the mirror again, she caught her nod. “On it.”</p>
<p>Sharky, however, was already opening the door to get out with her, not even giving her a chance to stop him if she wanted to, and Hana unbuckled her seatbelt fast to make sure she’d beat him.</p>
<p>That’s when the door to the front swung open. A woman jogged out towards her, smiling wide as she did so, and it wasn’t until she came to a stop in front of her that she realized they’d met before. She wasn’t entirely sure where or specifically when, but she’d always been decent at remembering faces, and a great smile stuck with her no matter what.</p>
<p>“Deputy! Let me tell you, you’ve got to pick a better way to get around. Some of us are twitchy to begin with, but you stop by with Peggie colors, and not all of us are going to be careful about it.” She held out her hand, and Hana gave it a solid shake. “Dunno if you remember me any, but uh, name’s Gloria.”</p>
<p>“Wait a sec,” Hana said, snapping her fingers, “from the Woodson’s?”</p>
<p>Her eyes lit up instantly. “Holy shit, you do! I make that kind of an impression?”</p>
<p>“Hey, anyone that manages to take control after someone yells at them to grab the wheel and jumps out’s pretty damn cool in my book. And you? You totally took that in stride.”</p>
<p>That made her grin all the more, and this time Hana couldn’t help but join her. “For a long time we thought you were…hell, either dead or on a one-way ticket straight to the bunker. But even after hearing you on the radio, it’s good to have a chance to see that ourselves.”</p>
<p>Gloria waved towards the roof, and the red flashing light - which had been a sniper’s sight after all - danced briefly across Hana’s chest before disappearing. It never failed to make her heart skip a beat, and she turned to give Grace a quick signal to stand down as well.</p>
<p>“Sorry about that. Greg’s up top, and with Roy inside, there’s only three of us holding this down at the moment. It’s not much, but you make do, and lucky for us we’ve been fine so far. Short of the radio bugging out every now and then, but it’s a work in progress. So…”</p>
<p>Adjusting her ballcap, Gloria glanced between her and Sharky, and gave them both an expectant look.</p>
<p>“What can we do for you?”</p>
<p>As it turned out, quite a bit.</p>
<p>The gas station itself was mostly operational, with a small amount left in reserve. They had some canisters stashed nearby, which was fine in the short term, but the town needed fuel bad, a fact that Mary May had touched on over the radio the last time Hana had called in.</p>
<p>John had drained the valley dry, but there were still tankers on the road. One by one, they drove in from the east, flanked by heavy enough escorts to tell anyone that taking one was going to be ugly at best, but the Henbane kept sending them. Faith kept sending them, and there was no telling how much longer that other fuel source was going to last.</p>
<p>So, they needed a plan. Taking any of them was a start, but if they wanted more than a scattered handful, they needed something solid. Something to start working towards, and much as she leaned on it heavily, sheer dumb luck wasn’t anywhere near that.</p>
<p>“Now, I know you ain’t talking about taking any of that shit without me, right?”</p>
<p>“Let’s see if I’ve got it right here,” she said, handing the gas can to Sharky. “I’m talking running down a rig filled to the brim with fuel, dodging trees left and right with the wind whipping around me, bullets flying everywhere, heart beating a mile a minute, when all it would take is a single shot to either end myself or set that entire thing off.”</p>
<p>Hana blew out a breath, and grinned wide when she caught him doing the same.</p>
<p>“Sounds pretty great, huh? And any of that’s leaning more than a little towards F and F, and what kind of a friend would I be to deny you a chance to get a piece of that?”</p>
<p>“F and F?”</p>
<p>Grace had been scanning their map, holding it down over the hood of the van as a breeze kicked up, and Hana hadn’t even known she was listening in. Her eyes were glued right to their marked routes, tracing them up and around the valley, and remained there even when Hana turned to look at her.</p>
<p>“You know, the Fast and Furious movies.  We’d practically be borrowing a page out of their script taking down one of the cult’s trucks like that. Or would that be more Mad Max?”</p>
<p>“Dep, just so you’d know, getting in on any of that would bring a tear to my eye.” And judging from the small swipe Sharky gave them, he was most of the way there. “But Mad Max straight-up, and we’d need to go and grab Hurkie before doing any of that. I promised him if we ever got to that point in the middle of this, I’d be the first to roll up, flamethrower in hand, and we’d just go to town. Light all of the Peggies’ shit up bright enough to fucking blind people, which we’re still doing now, just without the assless chaps ‘cause it’s still kinda early for it. Leather also needs baby powder and shit so you ain’t suffering when it rides up your ass, and John’s probably hoarding it all.”</p>
<p>Grace’s pained look almost made her lose it on the spot. “I did not need that visual.”</p>
<p>“John, or the assless chaps?” Hana asked, biting her lip to keep from laughing. “Though I’m having a real hard time imagining you in the full getup there, Shark. Baby powder or not.”</p>
<p>“What? I’m serious. Helps with the chafing and the sweating, and I know my balls would be swimming laps after a day of that. I’d just need to give ‘em a little light dusting beforehand, and everything would be right as rain. But going back to Hurk, if he heard he’d missed out on any of that? Well it’d just break his heart.”</p>
<p>“Just as long as you remember that we need to hold onto all of this.” She leaned back against the van, watching him as he unscrewed the cap and set the can down by his feet. “Fuel’s at too much at a premium right now to mess around with it. So try to save the fireballs for things that we’d all love to see go up, like John’s silos and signs. Or hell, that plane of his.”</p>
<p>“Done and done, my compadre, but just saying if it did?” He took out a cigarette and started lighting it, “Man, that would be one big, beautiful thing to see.”</p>
<p>Rolling her eyes, Hana plucked the cigarette out of Sharky’s hand only for him to whip his head towards her.</p>
<p>“Geez, Dep, are you serious? I’m down to one!”</p>
<p>“I’m thinking of your safety, bud,” she said, pointing at the setup in front of him. “Cigs and gas don’t mix. I don’t even need to mention the number of movies that have a little too much fun with that.”</p>
<p>“Uh, yeah, but that shit only goes down if you’re rough with it. Like making big ol’ sparks, holding the lighter to the pump, or dousing yourself in it, but knocking or hitting any of this while puffing away?“ He rapped at the side of the van with the side of his fist, and leaned against it. “About as safe as you can get.”</p>
<p>Pinching the cigarette between her fingers, she traded a skeptical look with Grace before giving him a long glance. “You know I’m still keeping this, right? After the last three I let you bum off of me, it’s only fair.”</p>
<p>That got a pout. “Aw, come on.”</p>
<p>“I’ll make sure to steal you a pack. Promise.”</p>
<p>His grumbling told her he didn’t agree one bit, but she still batted her eyes at him before turning on her heel to head inside. And as she started in on Sharky’s cigarette, might’ve made a mental pledge to go for at least three packs, minimum.</p>
<p>Rapping lightly on the door, Hana pulled it open only to be greeted by Roy. The older man dressed from head to toe in full hunter gear gave her a quick salute before resuming his perch by the boarded-up window. He seemed set on watching the front - a smart move considering their people were still out there and fueling up - and Hana hooked a thumb through the beltloops of her jeans before taking a look around.</p>
<p>She’d been here a few times before. Actually had a chance to fill up the old junker she’d bought from someone working at US Auto here, and remembered being annoyed she couldn’t find a single motorcycle. How she’d groused over it to the point she’d missed the cut off for the fifteen dollars she’d meant to gas up to, and swore loud enough that the other person at the pumps avoided making eye contact with her.</p>
<p>God, she wondered if that car was even there still. Her newly acquired, but mildly crunched white sedan, abandoned back at the station with her half-drunk coffee still sitting in the cup holder. Ditched in favor of rushing in through the front, half-awake up until she’d joined the others and Burke, and everything had just-</p>
<p>Hana sighed. Rubbed at her eyes, as she stood there and finished off the rest of the cigarette.</p>
<p>Probably not, but it was a thought, and as she stepped further into the station as a whole, she shifted her focus to checking out the rest of it.</p>
<p>Broken glass crunched under her boots as she moved down the aisles. Most were empty, the supplies either hastily cleared by John’s men, taken by people crossing through, or by the group currently stationed here. Walking by the empty freezers, she took one look at the baseball resting on a nearby shelf, and gave it a small push. It wobbled as it rolled, passing by the abandoned cans of tuna fish and spam as it went, and she held out a gloved hand to catch it when it reached the end and fell over the edge.</p>
<p>It plopped down right into her palm right as she noticed the book on the second shelf. Shoved towards the back and hidden behind an empty box, it had been overlooked completely, but she’d know the white leather cover of it anywhere.</p>
<p>The Book of Joseph, or rather one of many.</p>
<p>Just because she’d burned the one at the top of Joseph’s statue didn’t mean there weren’t others of these littered all over the county, and she tucked the baseball under her arm as she picked it up.</p>
<p>It wasn’t heavily damaged, and flipping through it she couldn’t find any torn or removed pages. Just Joseph’s words flying past as she sped right to the end, reaching the last couple of pages.</p>
<p>
  <em>The light is now shining on you, in you; it radiates out from you. You are strong, much stronger than they are. You are just and pure. You are the chosen ones. I beseech you to join me, to join the family - to join your family.</em>
</p>
<p><em>Jesus.</em> She’d never taken the time to read any of it before, but the message here bombarded her and right.</p>
<p>
  <em>You do not belong in this world. You belong in the next world, the new world.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The old one will disappear. Along with everyone who ever doubted both you and I. I know not the details of the divine plan to annihilate this abhorrent, pestilent society. I cannot tell you-</em>
</p>
<p>She paused, and read over that sentence again.</p>
<p>
  <em>I know not.</em>
</p>
<p>But she’d felt the fire with him. Stood right alongside him as the heat set in. <em>Burned</em> with him.</p>
<p>Her fingers traced the words. Ran over each one as they started to shake.</p>
<p>
  <em>-there may be times of suffering. But the light that lives in us will protect us against doubt. For doubt is a serpent whose venom seeps into-</em>
</p>
<p>Throwing the book back onto the shelf, she drew in a breath. Held it, then let it out slowly through her nose as she stared it down. Willed it to catch fire, tear itself up, do anything other than what it had already accomplished.</p>
<p>But it stayed in place, gathering dust.</p>
<p>“Doubt’s a serpent, huh?” Hana muttered darkly, nearly spitting at the floor. “Sounds about right.”</p>
<p>The door to the front swung open, and she started. The flash of green quickly told her exactly who it was, however, and she put as much distance between herself and the book as possible, tossing the baseball back and forth between her hands. Poured as much of that anxious energy into it as possible, just so it wouldn’t keep on making her hair stand on end.</p>
<p>“Hey,” she said, catching Sharky’s eye once he wandered into the aisle with her. “Everything okay outside?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, gas’s in, Grace’s out front going over how to keep this place as Peggie-proof as possible, and all you gotta do is say the word and we’re gone. But I figured I’d head inside first. Wanted to check this place out, ‘cause it’s been way too long since I’ve been here.”</p>
<p>“Fond memories?”</p>
<p>“Hell yeah,” he said, flicking both eyebrows up. “I used to score some porn mags here.”</p>
<p>Hana nearly dropped the baseball. “Wait, what?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, they’d be on that back wall, some of ‘em wrapped, the other half hidden behind the fishing and trapping ones.” He stepped past her, heading right up to the empty shelves as he glanced back towards her. “Just waited until they were busy up front to slip one or two out, just right up and under like so-” he pulled up his hoodie, and proceeded to pretend to hide his hand under it, tucking it along his midsection, “along with a pack of smokes.”</p>
<p>“Seriously? Porn mags?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, best part is that if you headed out to the toilet over yonder, you’d find a couple waiting there too. Now they never made that shit public knowledge, but if you’d check off to the side right by the trash can, you’d find last month’s lady looking right up at you. And yeah, some of the pages stuck together and others were torn out, but that shit was on the house. No guy in need’s ever gonna turn his nose up at that.”</p>
<p>A thoughtful look settled over him for a moment, along with a lazy grin before he perked up.</p>
<p>“Shit, you think it’s still there? Like I’m cool with the nostalgia boner I’ve got going on right now ‘cause it’s pretty solid, but if I found one in semi-mint condition? That’d get me fifty off of Hurk, easy.”</p>
<p>Hana wrinkled her nose at it herself, and started trying to juggle the baseball again. “You er, you do you, bud. Think I’d take a hard pass on that one.”</p>
<p>“Yo, it’s not like it’s woods porn, or nothing. Not that there’s anything wrong with it, it’s just a little far to go to find anything worth look looking at, and I know all of that shit’s either been moved or taken, and this’s right next door, and-.”</p>
<p>“Look, I don’t even know what woods porn is,” she said, cutting in before he could dive right into telling her, “but tell you what. It’s not quite fifty, but I bet you twenty I could catch another one of these if you tossed it to me.”</p>
<p>Bouncing the baseball between her hands, Sharky’s eyes were locked on her as she threw it above her head, and moved her hand behind her back just in time to catch it. “While juggling that one?”</p>
<p>“While juggling this one.”</p>
<p>His smile grew, and it took him no time at all to find something else to pitch at her. Sliding back into the mini-rhythm she’d found, he tossed her the second ball and brought it into the same pattern, doing pretty well for someone that took it up just to make an old classmate eat their words.</p>
<p>Sharky’s delight made it all worth it, though, earning her one hell of a smile when she started juggling in earnest. “Shit, you’re a regular wizard with your hands, Dep. Thought you’d toss it right back at me.”</p>
<p>Given that the compliment was on her juggling random shit without smacking herself, she had no reason to do so, but she might’ve blushed. Just a little.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I know I’m awesome,” she said, giving him a wink. “Just full of hidden unknown talents, but I’d still watch your head if I were you. …Might still end up throwing it your way if I slip up.”</p>
<p>“Well, you won’t have to worry much about me. I’ve got a set myself.”</p>
<p>“Of magic hands?” She waggled her eyebrows at him. “Just how magical are we talking here?”</p>
<p>“I could get a few testimonials. I might be well known for things other than the ol’ Boshaw Special.“</p>
<p><em>Boshaw Spec-?</em> Oh. That.</p>
<p>Her attention locked right onto his mouth before darting back to his hands, and she kicked herself for it. “Is that right?”</p>
<p>“Trick of the wrist, and, uh…” He made a motion with a few of his fingers, and she didn’t need to think hard to get the visual. “Well, you do that, you’ll get more than a few calls back.”</p>
<p>“Uh huh,” Hana replied, biting at the corner of her lip. Then nearly missed her catch when she failed to shake the mental image he’d conjured up. “So, definitely good with them then. But are you quick?”</p>
<p>“Quick?”</p>
<p>“Think fast!”</p>
<p>He yelped when the ball flew right past his head, his own face going red, and she might’ve felt a little bad for surprising him like that. But it was his fault for starting this conversation to begin with, and also for giving her way too much to think about when it came to-</p>
<p>
  <em>“..puty? Hey, kid, you there?”</em>
</p>
<p>Grabbing for her radio, Sharky shot her a curious look as she pulled it up to her ear. If Dutch was calling, something was up, and she braced herself accordingly. “Hey, Dutch. Dep here. What’s going on?”</p>
<p>
  <em>“Thought you might want to know before you get blindsided by it, but there’s a new broadcast out. One where John’s got something to say about your work so far. And here I’d say, ‘good’, because that still stands. But if he’s going to the airwaves to say something about it, he’s got to be feeling the pressure. You might still want to hear what he has to say.”</em>
</p>
<p>“Oh, fuck,” she muttered, scanning the old store for a television. If John was pissed off enough to put on a show and not call her, this could be a problem. “Shark, we need a TV, stat.”</p>
<p>He went for the other end of the store. “On it!”</p>
<p>“Thanks for the heads up,” she said, through the radio, “and don’t worry. Heads are on swivels, over.”</p>
<p>
  <em>“Keep it spinning, kid.”</em>
</p>
<p>It didn’t take long, but after checking with Roy, the two closed in on the television stashed in the employee’s room in the back. It was still working, somehow, and after plugging it back in, Sharky started messing with the antenna.</p>
<p>“Eh, back this way. No, wait, back the other?”</p>
<p>She reached over to pull at one, and Sharky aimed it towards her.  “Maybe if I jiggle it a bit.”</p>
<p>“No, what’s jiggling going to do to-“</p>
<p>
  <em>“-will you be willing to pay it?”</em>
</p>
<p>John’s voice rang through the room, and she quickly stepped away to get a better look at the screen. The broadcast looped back, and once again he started to speak.</p>
<p>
  <em>“My brothers and sisters, today’s message is not for you. Your dedication remains strong to our cause, and to the Father.”</em>
</p>
<p>“Motherfucker,” Hana breathed, taking in the stage John set for himself.</p>
<p>He wasn’t outside this time around. Not surrounded by his loving flock, with Joey not even ten feet away from him. This time he was alone. Sitting behind a large desk, he kept his hands folded in front of him. Everything neat and in place, as a solemn look entered his eyes.</p>
<p>This was restrained; stripped down, lacking the flashiness of the previous broadcast, and that had her worrying at her lip as he continued to speak. </p>
<p>
  <em>“And for that dedication you will continue to be enriched and rewarded. Knowing full well that what you’ve done up until this point in time has raised us up in turn. Made us greater for all that you’ve sacrificed.”</em>
</p>
<p>Sharky rolled his eyes, pretending to jerk off as John leveled another profound glance towards his audience, and she gave him a small punch to the arm before turning back to the broadcast.</p>
<p>
  <em>“No, this is for the Deputy’s ears, and for any that continue to follow her, I ask you to heed my words, and my message.”</em>
</p>
<p>By this point John had leaned forward, his blue eyes set on the screen. Focused on a single point, miles away, and with the flick of a switch, she’d helped him find his target.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Because the path that you walk is one rife with conflict, and while you claim this is some form of justice, it will ultimately do more harm than good. For this petty need for destruction consumes all, taking everything with it, and with so much at stake, I ask of you, why? Why would you let it? Why would take away these tools, the lives of these precious souls right when they had finally found what they had longed for most?”</em>
</p>
<p>He dropped his eyes. Kept them focused on his clasped hands for a beat, then looked right back at her.</p>
<p><em>"Perhaps I was at fault for failing to notice it sooner. For failing to understand the depths of your anger, your rage, but I promise this will change. When my people find you, when they guide you to me, I will not falter. I will give you </em>everything<em> you need, every moment that you could ever ask for, just to find what festers in you so.”</em></p>
<p>Her fingers curled into a fist, her nails biting right into her gloves.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Perhaps then it will be easier to accept. To see it for what it truly is, and you will not be alone in this, Deputy. Not for a second. But until then, understand what we have to do in turn-”</em>
</p>
<p>“Come on, H, you don’t wanna keep on listening to this, do you?”  Sharky set a hand on her shoulder, snapping her right out of it. “Just more of his shit, over and over?”</p>
<p>After a few seconds – and more of John’s words, since he wasn’t done at all – she took in a deep breath and let it out. Leaned into Sharky’s touch as he shifted his hand so he could rub at her upper back instead, and tried like hell not to sigh at any of it.</p>
<p>“Don’t you know I’m in need of help, Shark?” she asked, glancing up at him. “Desperate for it?”</p>
<p>“Well, I’m desperate for a round or five with Casey’s all you can eat Ribs n’ Nibs, and probably a few other things John’d be fine with carving into me. Seeing as I am not about any of that, that’s a big fat no, but…” He inclined his head as he looked her over, and wet his lips. “I think you’re fine, Dep.”</p>
<p>There was nothing subtle about that, not at all, and she might’ve lost her footing for a bit. Let his statement really sink in as a blush came with it, and grinned.  </p>
<p>“Fine?”</p>
<p>“More than fine,” Sharky blurted out, “just-um, you know what you wanna do. You go out and you do it. Just ‘cause John don’t agree with it, or it doesn’t help him pull any of the shit he and the others want – and seriously, fuck that – don’t make it wrong, or you. You’re just kicking ass and taking names. Doing a full day’s worth of that all before most can get in a shit, shower, and shave, and maybe some kind of breakfast, and that’s pretty fucking cool. Just doing that, like you do.”</p>
<p>That got a laugh out of her, and she couldn’t help the fond look that followed. “Like I do, apparently.”</p>
<p>He was smiling back at her now. Leaning more in her space than he was a few seconds ago, all while his hand stayed warm at her back. The height difference between them had never been extreme, just a half-foot at most, but from here she could easily gauge it. Note just how much she’d need to tilt her head back as she stood up on her toes to match him, and liked it.</p>
<p>“And if John’s got a problem with that, fuck him too. Though not, you know-“</p>
<p>“Literally?”</p>
<p>Sharky shuddered.  “Yeah, no. Don’t do any of that. Earlier I was just saying shit out loud as I was thinking it, and uh…”</p>
<p>He let the words trail off, looking right at her as Hana leaned forward a hair. Not enough to touch him, but enough for him to notice. To look at her with the kind of awe he’d always try and stammer his way out of before, but hadn’t found a way to do so yet. </p>
<p>“And I uh…” He swallowed hard. “I don’t think doing any of that’s desperate.”</p>
<p>“You being desperate, or me?”</p>
<p>Sharky blew out a breath. “Shit, both?”</p>
<p>She was closer now, and didn’t wait to see what he’d do before giving up another inch. Just darted in, and planted a kiss right on his cheek. Felt the slightest scratch of his stubble against her lips after he’d failed to shave for two days and counting, and didn’t draw back as far as she should’ve.</p>
<p>Just lingered by him as he shut his mouth, and stayed put. Didn’t move, or sweep in to kiss her like he easily could’ve at this distance.</p>
<p>And the disappointment that followed shouldn’t have stung at all, but it did.</p>
<p>“Think it might just be me, though,” Hana murmured, and let her eyes drift back to the television.</p>
<p>To John as he looped back through his message, over, and over, hoping this would be the time it’d take.</p>
<p>
  <em>“-will be judged, and your actions large and small laid bare before you. At that point, given the cost and those that fell to make it possible, will you be willing to pay it? Think on this. Because when we meet again-“</em>
</p>
<p>Jabbing at the power switch, she shut it off, and didn't linger this time around. Just gave Sharky a wan smile before heading back out front.</p>
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